George A. Canterbury Jr was born in Wooster, Ohio April 23, 1934 and died April 30, 2011. He was the third of five children of George and Esther Canterbury. The family moved back to his parents' hometown of Canton, Ohio in 1945. He was active in scouting and attained an Eagle rank with three palms. After graduating from Lehman High School he went on and graduated from Ohio State University in 1956. While at Ohio State he became a member of Varsity 'O' by earning letters in rifle shooting and track. The National Rifle Association awarded him a rating of Lifetime Master in small-bore rifle. He was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Air Force through AFROTC at Ohio State and spent 25 years in the Air Force, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1981. While in the Air Force, he logged 3700 hours of flying time in 16 different aircraft and earned his Master Navigator Wings. Included in that total were 152 combat missions in Vietnam. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses, nine Air Medals, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry for these efforts. Other Air Force activities included earning a Degree in Industrial Management Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1960. This led to engineering assignments in the development of the C-141 and C-5A aircraft, nuclear weapons testing, and Engineering Chief for medium launch vehicles for the NASA and Air Force surveillance satellite programs. He was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal upon retirement. He then attended UNO and earned a Degree in Accounting and Finance in 1983 at the magna cum laude level. He was an active member of the Nebraska Kennel Club for ten years, serving as treasurer and board member of the club. An owner of Bedlington Terriers for 26 years, he and his wife Beverly, bred and showed many of their dogs to their AKC Championships. His interest in numismatics since his Boy Scout days led him to become a dealer and attended all the local shows after his retirement from the Air Force. An avid birdwatcher, George and his wife visited 49 states and all provinces of Canada in compiling a life list of 670 species. He resided in Papillion, Neb. for the last 34 years. George had congestive heart failure for many years but was still able to fully enjoy his many interests until the last two years.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly, and his daughters, Terri of Albany, N.Y. and Karen (Tom) Jackson of Papillion, Neb. Survivors also include sisters Joanne Wildey and Shirley Cary of Canton, Ohio, and brother, Dan of Sarasota, Fla.
(from The Repository, May 11, 2011)